We splurged ($415+ fees each) on a day on the bay to watch the America's Cup race. I did my homework, called & confirmed that this was to be first class & give us a great view for this once in a lifetime experience. So disappointed!!! The yachts featured prominently in their ads and online are not anything like what greeted us at the dock. The only outside viewing area was a small spot at the bow. They also opened it up to media photographers who hogged much of the small outdoor space available. The food was average at best. Pretty basic buffet fare; soggy Cesar, pasta, etc. We did have a closer view than most boats on the bay, unfortunately we were at the finish line which was good for the last few minutes, but the majority of the race took place out of sight at the other end of the bay while our boat was stationary. I have been on a few Hornblower Cruises and they were better than this -- more outside space, better food and much less expensive. This was definitely not worth it!! read more

My wife and I chose Commodore for our 5/21 wedding and we had a great experience. Everything went super smooth, the food was great and we'd definitely recommend Commodore to anyone looking for something a little different. read more

We had our wedding on the Zinfandel a few weeks ago. Since it was raining the ceremony had to be moved inside to the Fume Blanc. Guests were a little confused moving from one yacht to the other for ceremony and reception, but it worked out okay, you can't control mother nature. As soon as the reception started the sun came out and during the cruise we were able to enjoy the back deck and have a lot of photos taken. That was very important to me and I am so glad it worked out. The photographer recommended by Commodore, Michael Bonocore, was absolutely AMAZING, he took so many photos from so many different angles and views, but more on him in a separate review. The recommended florist was very good as well, my bouquet was not as she had described it during our prior meeting, but overall the quality was excellent and all the arrangements came out beautiful. The food was prepared by the Commodore chefs and was absolutely delicious. Everyone raved about the champagne chicken and the prime rib while going back to the buffet for seconds. The cake was done by the recommended bakery and it was delicious. The florist decorated it beautifully, I couldn't be more happy with how the cake turned out. The DJ was excellent and played everything we requested. He had to move from the yacht where the ceremony took place to the upstairs dining portion of the reception and then downstairs to the dance floor for the remainder of the party. He didn't miss a beat throughout the entire event. Everything happened so smooth and effortlessly, we didn't even notice a transition. It was a little funny when the DJ announced the toasts nobody had toasting glasses in front of them yet, the commodore staff had to hurry and pour drinks for everyone. I don't think anyone even noticed though. Planning the wedding with Commodore was such a pleasure. The staff are all fun to work with and they made the process so easy on us. We live about 300 miles away and had to do a lot of the communication through email and over the phone. They were always quick to respond to my many many questions. We were only able to travel to the area for the initial meeting (6 months ago) and then once again about 6 weeks prior to the wedding day. Since we weren't able to make it to one of the 'meet the fleet' days the staff were so nice to accommodate us during a weekend so we could do the food tastings and go over a lot of the details of the wedding day in person. I can be very particular about things sometimes (like little details) and of course my wedding day is no exception, but everyone I worked with was so friendly and went out of their way to make the day special and make my husband and I happy. We can't thank them enough for all the work they did and their attention to detail. We look forward to working with them again in the future for other events - birthdays, anniversaries, etc. I am so glad we decided to have our wedding with Commodore. The experience was unforgettable and the day was just perfect! read more

I was hoping to get a 4 or 5 star experience like other people, but I give this place 2 stars for lack of communication. My fiance' and I were seriously considering having our wedding on one of these yachts. I made a request to speak to someone about the prices and details. A MONTH LATER is when I finally had someone call me. I decided to just go check it out anyway. The yachts were great. I could imagine with decorations (and some AC), it could be a really lovely venue. After discussing our budget with Laura (or Linda...can't remember) and our needs and wants for our wedding, she told us she would email a breakdown of what we can get for our budget. That email never came. Three weeks later, I get a call from her asking if we've had all of our questions answered and whatnot. I told her we have yet to receive the email that we were promised. She said that she'll send that right over. Again...the email never came. You would think that if a couple was willing to spend their money to have a wedding on one of Commodore's yachts they'd be a little more responsive and on top of things. Oh well. Perhaps a wedding on a yacht wasn't meant to be. read more

This one pissed me off, the advertising on the Americas Cup web site says "Starts at $75" Turns out it is $375 and $415 on the days of the Americas Cup. Check it out here is the phone number Phone number: 877-346-4000 read more

My brother in-law and I organized my sisters 30th birthday bash back in June with Commodore and it was the most wonderful memorable experience ever!!! We had the Zinfandel Yacht which had a dance floor, bar and upstairs dining with floor to ceiling glass windows. It was just perfect for a party of 30-40 guest. The food was YUMMY (champagne chicken was delish!) and there was plenty for our big family and group of friends. We had the premium bar and the bartender was just perfect! Made our drinks fast and strong!! I was able to decorate the boat with banners/streamers and confetti just as long as I didn't poke holes into the walls or ceilings. I highly recommend using Commodore for any future special events! P.S. This review was written by seeshells78's baby sister who helped organize the event read more

My friend and I threw our friend a birthday party of 100+ people on the Zinfandel with Commodore Cruises, and it went very smoothly. The event coordinator I worked with via email to plan this was Jewell, and she was great! She always replied to my emails very quickly, allowing me to plan the party efficiently. The staff on the boat during my event was accommodating as well, and the captain was great. It was a beautiful boat with a flexible event budget and even came with a DJ and cash bar. Highly recommend for classy parties! read more

At first I was not sure of a 4-hr holiday party on a boat, trapped with your co-workers and unable to escape early from a boring night BUT there was absolutely no reason to want to escape from our commodore cruise on the Yacht Cabernet Sauvignon ! It was the absolute opposite of boring. The crew was absolutely lovely, helpful and totally on top of everything. They assisted with the boarding and all the other events we had going that night including the casino which included blackjack, roulette AND craps. The dinner was delicious to my surprise as I had heard about other boat dinners that were compared to bad hotel food. Commodore delivered a gourment meal and the dessert was the BEST !! The DJ was totally awesome playing music from his playlist AND he even searched out some music that we requested (salsa) that was not on his playlist, very accomodating DJ. Again I cannot say enough good things about all the crew and the commodore event. At the end of the night, all our employees that attended the event did NOT want to leave. All enjoyed the event tremendously and the only negative comment was that the night was too short :-) We will do this again. read more

I looked into booking an event with this company. There prices are good, but when it came to booking the event I realized there was a reason they were cheaper than everyone else. I was very dissatisfied with the organization and professionalism of commodore events staff. listed below are a few examples. -They scheduled us to meet a Representative on the yacht, no one showed up -We went up to the office and had to wait 30 min past our scheduled meeting time. ( If they cant be on time for me to give them thousands of dollars imagine how the event will turnout. They were not accommodating whatsoever with the booking details and the contract. Be cautious with this company. read more

We were married 11-12-13. The event was aboard the Cabernet Sauvignon. I have to say even with 100 guests they helped us pull off a fantastic wedding. Linda was great and so was her staff. DJ Dan was awesome too. They were very accommodating. They made our wedding so great that some of the guests said that they felt that they owed us Thank You cards because it was soo nice. You definitely get what you pay for. I was able to be as involved as I liked or take a hands off approach. It was easy to have them cater the event as well. The food was good and the service for our guests was top notch. I really liked the fact that they were a "one stop shop" too. I didn't have them provide or recommend the cakes so I can't comment on that. But overall they made it easy. And believe me after planning and dealing with guests etc... I needed that. I returned from our honeymoon 6 days after the wedding to pick up the incidentals and anything that was left behind. they had stored it and taken good care of it. I highly recommend them. Gosh, I almost totally forgot. The florist, Susan Bell. She was highly recommended by Linda. She was AWESOME! Top shelf for sure! We had her make the centerpieces to match some succulents we had grown at home and incorporate them into different parts all over. I even had a special request as to exactly what the bouquet HAD to be. The same as I saw Kelly Clarkson had on a magazine cover. She did it! She even made a smaller one just like it for our daughter. All together a really great experience for a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life. I cant say enough about how great my wedding night was. I'd also like to give a shout out to SIFT cupcakes in Santa Rosa. No wonder y'all won cupcake wars! read more

Thank you to the staff at Commodore Cruises for a wonderful Christmas Party for our office. We wanted to have a really special event after not getting to have a party last year so we chose to go to Commodore. They were so helpful, attentive and very flexible as to what we had going on. Most of December had had really nice weather but unfortunately for us we got the heavy rains. I was worried that this would effect our event tremendously but it didn't at all. We were not able to go out on the bay but Captain Paul still took us up and down the Estuary and it was still beautiful. No body was disappointed and everyone had such a wonderful time. They helped me by referring the DJ, the Gaming People, and the cake maker. The DJ actually got my people up and shaking it which is quite the feat. The Gaming people were so kind and fun and took care of managing the counts of who had the most money at the end. Such a relief to me. Thank you Commodore and Luxe Cruises. Merry Christmas!! read more

I've now been on two weddings on their boats. The first one I went on the coordinator lady was a really not nice person. The food was really good and the DJ was a blast but the very rude lady who was in charge tainted the experience. The second time, everyone was very nice however they only had one bartender for the entire boat (over 140 people) and she was absolutely horrible. She would only help one corner of the bar and many times completely ignored all of the other people around it. A few times I went up there and saw multiple annoyed customers waiting to get asked what they would like to drink - stating they had been waiting a long time. To then watch someone stroll right up to that corner and be helped next. Perhaps the lady had no bartending experience but they should have definitely had someone much better working the bar or at least two people. Nobody wants to wait for a beverage at a wedding! read more

We went on the rock and roll cruise for New Years Eve. It was also our wedding night. The DJ played less than 5 rock songs all night. It was completely rap music. The dessert bar consisted of lemon bars and stale oatmeal cookies. The bar was extremely limited. There was no soda and only canned bud light beer. The fireworks were awesome to see from the bay! That is where the 2 stars come from. I was told by the event group that this was the best cruise ship. the salesman was obviously on commission! I paid a lot for a very little. read more

I got married on the Cabernet Sauvignon this past March. My review will also include the vendors since the are STRONGLY recommended because they, "know the boat". Commodore Cruises- staff, cuisine and boat: 5 Stars - Hannah was professional and on top of everything, all you could want in a wedding planner. I probably drove her nuts because I was such a laid back bride... and i got pregnant before my boat wedding. I just wish she had been a little less supportive of her recommended vendors and suggested I check out other options. She took care of A LOT for me and made sure I was taking care of my to-do list. She was also flexible and let us order off the menu. My husband wanted two things- Mexican food and pizza. - We had a wonderful Mexican buffet (people were RAVING about it) and pizza towards the end of the ride (it was okay, I'm east coast :) - We were the first wedding of the season so it was used as a training opportunity which was great. You could ask any staff member for anything and it was taken care of. They were all very polite and professional. Captain Morgan was awesome ! - We had a cupcake tower for ease of distribution with red velvet and chocolate salted caramel, both were very tasty! - We needed an elevator for my 90 year old grandmother and other guests so we had to go with the Cabernet. I'm glad we did. It's a luxurious yacht 5 levels. The bottom of the boat has a nicely sized bridal sweet with a strange "open" bathroom but it was all girls so, whatever. The entry level had comfy couches and the photo booth. Next level up was the dining area. One more up and you were on the dance floor and the top deck was open for the ceremony. Both the dining and dance floor levels have a bar. My husband and his family are Bay Area residents but my family is from the East Coast (NY, NJ) so my MIL thought this would be a great way for them to see the Bay! It was, we went with Sunday from 3p-7p so we could catch the sunset. Even local family and friends were impressed! Okay- moving on to the vendors. It should be noted that the morning of the wedding it HAILED and it was cold and windy for the rest of the day. Susan Bell, florist - She was at the tasting event when I first met her. I gave her the details of my wedding party and told her my grandmother would be taking the lead. She complained to Hannah that my grandmother was difficult (it's weird since my g ma still works with vendors and they don't have issues) so my aunt took the lead with the flowers. My aunt who manages a dance company that travels world wide ALSO had trouble communicating with Susan. I guess she takes business calls while driving, wants to impose her preferences in your event and seemed impatient and frazzled every time i spoke with her. The flowers were beautiful but I attribute most of that to my g ma and aunt being firm with what they wanted. Benjamin Winter, photographer- I will take partial responsibility for not meeting him in person before the event. Simple truth, I can't use any of the group photos that were taken after the ceremony, I don't have any bridal party shots that are acceptable. We took many shots on the open deck, in the freezing cold and crazy wind with family members ranging from 4 months old, to pregnant me, to 90 years. It was CLEARLY unbearable, people were hunched over, wearing bulking coats and dodging long hair whipping in the wind. This is where the "KNOWS THE BOAT" thing should have come in. We should've been moved to a back up, indoor spot. The only husband family shot we have cuts off his papa, I had to ask for a first kiss shot since it was not included in the original set and we never did a full wedding party pic. Mr. Winter was not very polite when I tried to address these issues. Instead of exercising a customer service oriented stance he seemed to be offended and defensive. I'm going to be honest, this is not my first rodeo, I've had a wedding before this so I definitely DO NOT feel that i had unrealistic expectations. My previous photographer was amazing, we even used him for my cousins wedding too. So i was doubly disappointed since I knew it could've been more professional. Mr. Winter sent us about 350 pics in color and the same pics in black and white. He brought a second photographer so he could train him on the boat and acted like he did me a huge favor. He left out a pic of myself, my husband and our two nieces that i specifically asked for and seemed like I was putting him out by asking for it. There are many beautiful shots but it is disappointing to not have good wedding party and family shots. The DJ who came with the package- I was told he would have the music so that my father could sing, "Sunrise, Sunset" but he did not so my dad did it a cappella. I asked for one cultural song, "Hava Nagila" which was played when neither I nor the groom was present?!?! Not excited about that. Overall, I would definitely recommend Commodore for your event just get your own vendors. read more

Hosted my HS 20 year reunion on the Chardonnay, we had about 72 guests and this fleet was perfect for the event! It made it easy to plan due to the already decorated floor plan with linens and centerpieces there wasn't much I had to do but collect funds from my classmates. Everyone enjoyed themselves, Patricia was helpful the day of the event answering any questions I had. The day went smoothly and the staff on deck was awesome. The only complaint is the event planner I worked with, Jewel, was super friendly and sweet but I had a difficult time contacting her as my event got closer. She wasn't even at the actual event the day of, just to make sure I had what I needed. Even before the event during Meet the Fleet she had my HS down as another HS, and I felt like my event was not as important to her as others. She didn't return emails, I even left a message on the main line and Sent her personal email because someone thought they left their purse on the fleet, and I never got a response. Luckily, it was found. I know it wasn't my wedding or anything, but the week of any event I think it's a good idea for any planner to be available for their clients and run through last minute details. Overall, a great time was had, but for future events we may go through another company, or request a different planner. read more

NEW YEARS EVE....I took a chance on this small family owned business for a very important new years eve. After searching around for cruises on NYE, I found Commodore. A smaller consortium that is based in Alameda. I thought this was an advantage because I wouldn't have to fight bridge traffic or SF crowds, (which we didn't), the drive was traffic free and easy. Overall we had a good night, some pros and cons. The pros coming out on top. Seating was like what you would find at a wedding; ten person tables (which I suppose is to be expected). If you are just a couple going be prepared to sit with strangers for dinner. Its best to get a group of 8-10 to go. While waiting for the fireworks to start on the top deck, I and my date had a great spot for viewing, the navigating staff stepped out of the cabin several times to look for the fireworks barge. Then the boat did a total 180 degree turn AWAY from the fireworks, which ruined our view of the lower fireworks. I felt the staff could have let us know the boat was turning around. My date is a shorty and after the turn she couldn't see the lower fireworks. Pros: Boat was nice, employees were courteous and helpful, food was buffet style and turned out to be very good, bartender was heavy handed which I like, they had several decks with multiple bathrooms that were clean. The ship was level most of the night, (no seasickness) and we floated under both bridges returning to the ferry building for fireworks. Good DJ and plenty of room to dance; music wasnt too loud either. Plenty of parking with an upscale hotel nearby which made me feel safe to leave my car unattended. CONS: After booking, I heard nothing from Commodore until a couple days before the event stating details and such. Some of the navigating staff (captain etc.) wore their cell phone bluetooth headsets all evening which was VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. They had nicely pressed uniforms and these headsets made them look completely ridiculous. Website quoted "holiday dessert" (which no one on staff told us was being served upstairs) and it turned out to be tiny slices of pumpkin pie which I think was from October. A tiny splash of champagne and lastly, NO countdown! Overall a good experience, but it could have been much better with a small effort. I would recommend getting the less expensive cabaret deck tickets ($130), and NOT the more expensive dining deck ($160). read more

Recently just did my mother's 50th birthday on the Merlot Yacht with Commodore Events. It was an event with 55+ people and completely a surprise for my mother. The organizers were helpful and did a great job of handling multiple parties at the same time. I would like to make a special thank you to Gabriela, head boat staff, as she went above and beyond for my event and truly cared. Without her interaction my event would not have been as amazing as it was and was the essential factor for my 5 star rating. Not only did she do an excellent job with the boat and crew but helped keep my event a surprise to the end for my mom and her positive and charming personality made the event stressless and fun. Food overall was great with excellent staff helping out and goregous views of the bay. The captain was amazing as he passed by the Giants game, slowed down to take a look at the new Bay Bridge lights and made smooth sailing for a great and enjoying time. Overall I highly recommend Commodore Events and make sure to ask for Gabriela. read more

My wife & I went out on their largest boat, the Galaxy Commodore, for the 2008 New Year's dinner cruise. It departed from Mariner's Square in Alameda. The cost was $350/couple, less than the cost of Hornblower Cruise price (SF Belle vessel in SF). Overall we were quite satisfied with the outing. I have been on a company event on the California Hornblower (the neat old-fashioned double-ender boat); in comparison, that boat is a bit more plush & the meal more refined and served to you at private tables in contrast to buffet style on Commodore; however, you pay quite a lot more ($500 vs $350), & one irritation with the Hornblower outing is compressed/shoter time out on the water whereas Commodore boat stayed out for a lengthier time; this is, in part, due to Commodore having to go all the way back to Alameda dock after fireworks in contrast to Hornblower boat which docks right at SF Embarcadero. The midnight fireworks went off near the Ferry Building after which there is a long leisurely ride back to the docks in Alameda; in contrast, the Hornblower is just a hop and a skip from its dock near the Ferry Building. By the time we disembarked, it was already past 1am. First the positives: the staff was consistently friendly and helpful. The boat was clean, had good amenities (comfortable lounge w/ leather sofas, clean spacious bathrooms (by boat standards)), nice large dance floor, nice large viewing windows & plenty of outside space for people (if they could brave the cold), decent drinks from adequate (though somewhat spartan, decor-wise) bar). The buffet meal was much better than I'd expected and was good: prime rib, chicken goulash with cream/mushroom sauce, rice pilaf, nice caesar salad, and tasty, crunchy (i.e. not overcooked) string beans completed with adequate, if not stellar, desserts (chocolate cake, pumpkin/cinamon pie, cheesecake). As mentioned, the cruise was leisurely, departing sometime after 9:15 with roundtrip up to Golden Gate and back, excellent viewing of the fireworks, returning sometime past 1am. Just a few negatives: The boat was quite packed with some people had to sit at temporary long folding tables on the dance floor; on the main (middle) floor, where most of the tables and the buffet was located, the tables were packed together so tightly, that once people had sat down, it was quite cramped to squeeze one's way over to the buffet; some of the staff were quite young, inexperienced and discombobulated; the buffet layout itself was quite cramped in the back corner of the room. The method employed for having people serve themselves consisted of a loud, bingo-like cattle-call system for table# by table# turns for getting food. The desserts were straight out of cold fridge. Overall it was nothing to ruin a very pleasant evening at a pretty reasonable price, especially compared to the competition. read more

I went this evening for the 4th of July dinner and firework cruise. The fireworks were awesome...they went off right above us and the captain did an excellent job navigating around San Francisco hotspots to provide passengers with the best views. That said, the dinner aspect was lacking in so many ways. The service staff were inefficient, filling one persons water but skipping the person right next to them. I witnessed this on three separate occasions. When it happened at our table and we asked them to come back and fill the glass, the girl looked put out and said "somebody will come by for that", walking right past us with the water pitcher. Not once did someone stop by without being flagged down. While the bartenders were friendly and helpful, the food serving staff could have all used a crash course in customer service. The food was buffet style, and tables were called by number. One of the staff members snapped at the table next to us when they started to get up out of turn, then walked away rolling her eyes and sighing loudly. Again, the food was buffet style, and at $128 a ticket one would at least expect the food to be on par but with so many tables, by the time each table had a turn one of the dishes would have been completely emptied. For our table, the salad was gone by the time we got up there. Our neighboring table, the rice. The chicken and gravy would run out so people would be lingering in line waiting for it, holding up everyone else and the food staff sure took their time in refilling the food that ran out. The chef deserves credit where credit is due, however, because the food was extremely tasty. Same was true for coffee and dessert...lines were long and by the time we arrived at the dessert table, it was all gone. They ran out of creamer for the coffee and said they'd refill but never did, ran out of napkins for the remaining dessert so we would be standing with chocolate brownie in hand with no plate, no napkin. The whole food presentation was so disorganized and unprepared, if I were to rate this experience solely on that aspect I would be giving a single star. If you're going for the fireworks, it was an awesome experience. Although there was one pitfall....even though we had seats set up on the upper deck that we had been sitting in for an hour enjoying the view, when I went downstairs to use the restroom I wasn't allowed to go back up until someone else came down because the deck was too full. I waited 15 minutes separated from my party and almost missed the fireworks because I had to go to the bathroom. I understand the reasoning behind this, but it was still an inconvenience and added to the disorganization of the Commodores presentation. Views...killer. Fireworks....best I've seen. Timeliness...good. Bar....cost extra money, but quick and efficient staff. Organization...needs professional restructuring. Food...tasty but poor preparation, not enough for everyone. Food staff...epic fail all around. read more

My wedding was on Sunday, July 3rd on the Pinot Noir- we had 50 guests. Let me start off by saying that Jewell Chung was amazing!! She planned everything step by step with me and was very flexible and accommodating. It seemed like everything I asked for, the answer was yes! Everything was close to perfect the day of. Hannah, our ceremony coordinator, was on point and made sure the entire ceremony went off without a hitch. The tables were set up FLAWLESSLY (even better than I expected).. all the colors were perfect and even better than I imagined. Hannah set up the guest table exactly as we asked, the seating chart was perfect.. all the details were on point. My only complaint to Susan Bell (the yacht's florist) was that I specifically asked for silver dollar eucalyptus and she put dusty miller instead. Even so, the flowers were beautiful and that was a minor detail I didn't even notice until the end of the wedding. The cake was even more gorgeous than I expected. It was a simple Tier 1 cake, but the flowers and the yacht's lovely cake stand made it really stand out. DJ Dan was incredible!! My crazy family was requesting songs all night and he was happy to accomodate.. he played the songs we wanted and the dance floor was PACKED all night. The dancing flew by and I couldn't believe it when the cruise was over.. we all wanted to keep dancing! DJ Dan did all the announcements perfectly and was able to accommodate all of our change requests on the fly. The cruise director and staff were all great... the captain was amazing, he let all the little kids go into the pilot's house, wear his hat, sit in his seat.. he was awesome!! Commodore allowed me to use the bridal suite on the Cabby to get dressed and it was beautiful! The suite was luxurious and they even had champagne and hor d' oeuvres waiting for me. The reason why I deducted 1 star is because the food was not very good. We sampled the Tier 1 buffet food at the Meet the Fleet event, and decided to go with the Tier 2 buffet (which is an upgrade). The Tier 1 buffet food was delicious! However, our Tier 2 food was subpar. The prime rib was mostly fat and the salmon was dry. The roasted veggies tasted boiled and the potatoes and salad were just OK. The cake on the other hand, was amazing!! (made by Whisk Bakery). We chose the Red Velvet on the bottom and Very Berry on the top, and both were delicious!! Best cake I've EVER had!! In conclusion, we are very happy that we chose Commodore. The water was rough at times and a couple people got nauseous, but all in all it was an amazing experience and we got some amazing views of the bay. Willie Brown officiated our ceremony and it was amazing! Thank you Jewell, Hannah, DJ Dan and everyone else for an amazing night!!! I will post pictures as soon as I get them! read more

Had our wedding on a Commodore yacht. During the planning, the Commodore agent (Linda) kept assuring us that everything would be fine. Being a professional skeptic, I had my doubts. She was right. Everything was great. The list of how they met/surpassed our expectations is large, but let's say: 1) Attention to detail was always good, and because they do this so often, they were always ahead of us. 2) The food was top-shelf. Pleasant surprise. 3) They were _flexible_. Little things like wanting one brand of liquor on the bar that wasn't normally in the package, no problem. 4) The on-board staff were polite, well spoken, attentive (I chatted with one, who is a military college cadet - don't know about the others but they had that military politeness and crispness about them). 5) The captain (who also performed our wedding ceremony) has a future in radio with a voice that carried the event. 6) Even at the last minute before sailing, I worried that there was not enough wedding cake, and they baked a tray of cookies and brought them on board. I rarely rave about any service, but I'll gladly give Commodore a big bump. read more

Good, could have been better. Took the Valentines day cruise out of SF. Although advertised as a luxury yacht, it may have been luxury 20 years ago. There was little direction or organization from the staff. We know there was an intercom system but could barely decipher anything being said over the speakers as all we heard was crackle. They played the same Frank Sinatra CD on repeat. No announcement we were leaving, serving food, or passing by landmarks like the bay bridge or Alcatraz. Isn't there supposed to be some kind of safety briefing when entering a vessel like this? The food was the highlight, very tasty, bread, salad, risotto, chicken, prime rib all very good. On our walk back to my car we saw AT LEAST 7 cars on the Embarcadero with the right rear window smashed in. I insist on parking in a security patroled lot while in SF and recommend you do too. read more

If u want to create a classy, memorable experience, book your next event here. Look for Brenda. She is a delight. She took care of me. So easy to talk to, replies promptly. Food was good, lots of desserts. Captain was awesome. Staff aboard were friendly. Thank u, Brenda! read more

Attended a baby girl's birthday party yesterday! It was awesome. Amazing decor and beautiful deck. The crew was amazing!

Went on the NYE cruise and it was fantastic! Staff was friendly. Food was fairly decent. Price was right. Drinks were strong and you can't beat the view of the fireworks. It was so much more reasonably priced than comparable NYE cruises. Highly recommended. One of the best NYE I've had in recent memory. read more

It was such a pleasure working with Hannah and Lucina who handled the evening of my event on the Merlot. They have such wonderful personalities and are able of anticipating our needs. I highly recommend Commodore cruises and working directly with Hannah! read more

Used Commodore for a corporate event and it couldn't have been better! I plan events all the time and this was far and away the best and easiest event we've ever had. Linda was fantastic- taking care of every detail. Everything was perfect, from the lighting and decor to the menu and schedule, even down to the gift handouts and lovely ice sculptures and floral arrangements on the boat. The band was great and all our complex AV was set up perfectly before we even got there. The captain even arranged a custom tour of the bay according to our schedule and sightseeing desires. We basically just had to show up and enjoy ourselves. I'll be using Commodore again in the future and will recommend them to anyone planning a corporate event or a wedding- make it easy on yourself and let Linda take care of everything- your event will be perfect! read more

BEST WEDDING EVER!!! My husband and I got married on the Merlot this past August. We had specifically wanted to get married on the water as we had many guests from out of town and out of country coming to our wedding. Commodore delivered! We did have to work with a couple of different coordinators, but they were all fantastic! Everyone who works with Merlot is open, communicative, and friendly. They took care of all the small details, which made planning the wedding a lot less stressful than I had anticipated--it was almost fun! Needless to say, everyone who attended loved the wedding. Grandma even said it was better than my own folks' wedding, and that was a "grand slam"! Using Commodore is easy, affordable, and unforgettable; I would recommend it to anyone! read more

My friend hosted her husbands birthday party on April 2, 2011 on the Chardonnay Yacht. The check in process went smooth and the yacht was well decorated with formal seating arrangements. Everything was great until the the food arrived. My friend went all out with the menu as she offered Filet Mignon, Salmon, or both. I ordered the salmon and my wife ordered the filet. BOTH were undercooked and I noticed the other guest had the same issue. Many of us asked the wait staff if they can have their meals cooked a little more to their liking, but unfortunately the yacht didn't have the capabilities to accommodate. So nevertheless, many of the guest went through the night with empty stomachs not to mention the enormous amount of wasted food and money. In addition, they had a cheese and fruit platter which was pleasantly displayed but the fruit was terrible....sour and very wilted as if it was prepared a couple days before the party. Here's the really crappy part. My friend had a slide show and requested the staff to provide a screen as she brought her MacBook and projector. Everything went well with the slide show and she packed up her laptop and projector in her case and tucked it away. Now mind you, this was a party with only her and her husbands closest friends invited and probably totaled 70 people. So there was no question that any of the guest would steal her things.... So unfortunately, as the evening came to conclusion my friend accidentally left her equipment on the yacht and realized this early morning the very next day. She contacted the staff of commodore events and the head "chef" of the Chardonnay for the night informed her that he looked everywhere and couldn't find her equipment. The next day or so, the chef contacted her and said he found her projector but no laptop. What the hell!?!?!? It was in the same bag!! Anyway, my friend filed a police report and yet to hear back. And unfortunately, it may not be recovered. So beware before booking anything with this company and their shady staff! read more

We hosted a corporate event with roughly 100 employees. The feedback we received from our employees has all been positive. Linda, thank you for your time planning the event, and making sure every detail was correct. Amber, thank you for fine tuning those details, and following up with my concerns when the event was approaching. Hannah, thank you for the seating charts, and the bazillion edits. The event planning team at Commodore Cruise is very impressive, and I enjoyed my time working with you. The execution of the event itself was also flawless. It was quite funny that there just happened to be a small personal yacht docked at pier 40 when we arrived. Everyone kept asking if that was our yacht. Then when the Cabernet Sauvignon approached everyones' mouth dropped. One of the employees said: Wow, now that looks like a record breaking year yacht. Leticia, was AMAZING. Everyone was very impressed with her attention to detail, and how quick she was to follow up with us. She really made the experience grand, and my manager wanted to make sure she knows how impressed we were with her service. The service from the staff was also very quick, and professional. The food was DELICIOUS. Thank you again for the custom vegan meal, and quick mushroom free meal for our employee that was allergic. Thank you to the photography team, we are very excited to see the memories you captured. Thank you to Susan for the beautiful arrangements, many employees took them home. The captain was very quick to keep us away from the choppy water, and listened to our requests. The DJ did not play songs we liked right away which was one downside. We made a few requests to him the night of that were ignored (I also sent him a playlist two days before to tell him the kind of music we liked). Leticia happened to be walking in to check if there was anything else I needed. She then took care of this issue, and we were able to dance the night away. So thank you Leticia for that as well. Personally, I had a blast on the yacht. Everything was beautiful, elegant, and represented our record breaking year perfectly. Hopefully, I did not forget to thank anyone. We had a very enjoyable experience. We are more than satisfied with our experience, and will be happy to refer others to you. I look forward to working with you in the future. read more

This is my first YELP 5-star! In other words, Commodore Events had to earn this. My daughter was in charge of organizing her school's prom. She checked out several venues and eventually chose Commodore for several reasons. The first was the cost Comparing to previous years prom cost, hosting on Commodore seemed too good to be true. The cost per person was much less, and dinner and DJ, tax and service fees were included. The other venues appeared to be less per person, but the fees pushed the prices way up!. The second was the service. Brienne, the coordinator, was incredibly helpful through the entire process. Since my daughter had never done anything like this before, it was a blessing to have her insight and suggestions. Finally, the cruise was wonderful. The staff was polite and accomodating. It was a wonderful and memorable event. I would highly recommend Commodore Events. read more

I had the best 60th birthday cruise imaginable with Commodore Events this past Sat evening. From start to finish, the staff and crew of this family-run business were a total joy to work with. Besides being calm, professional, and helpful with any question or detail large and small, they helped to make our guests feel welcome and well taken care of. The food was also delicious and well presented. A very good value in every way! read more

BEAUTIFUL, intimate wedding aboard the Pinot Noir! We chose to keep our event docked due to the number of guests with the tendency to get sea sick (including th groom) which was an amazing customization that most if not all other competitor cruise ship companies do NOT offer! The price is unbeatable- under $7000 for everything - a wedding planner, an unforgettably unique venue, amazing food that your guests will be talking about for days after, a beautiful custom wedding cake, linens, chair coverings, centerpieces, and married by a CAPTAIN of a ship (with about 50 guests)! They even take your decorations at the rehearsal and have them all set up for you before you arrive on the day of your wedding, and then pack everything up to take with you and have it all ready at the door when you leave. I was thrilled with Commodore from the first time I called- they were able to work with my budget, letting me select only the items I wanted- a beautiful buffet with chicken in a Barolo wine and artichoke sauce, carved beef with a wine reduction sauce, sautéed veggies, salad, mashed potatoes, etc., but we skipped the appetizers and floral arrangement options to keep the price in our budget. EVERYONE is still talking about my wedding almost a week later, and they all think we paid SO much more than we did. If you want an impressive, elegant wedding that can fit pretty much any budget, call Commodore! SO MUCH BETTER THAN HORNBLOWER!!!! (Who I called and were more expensive, you got less, and told me we had to cruise around the bay even if it got my husband sick!) read more

My organization booked a business cruise with the Commodore and it was perfect and met more than our expectations. They arrived on time, the food was "Excellent!", the staff was warm and accommodating, and vessel was beautifully decorated and the cruise was outstanding. Our guests are still calling and emailing about how much they enjoyed it. Commodore....you are the BEST.... Will definitely do it again... read more

I first must say I am a very detailed individual who is sometimes hard to please. I just had my commitment ceremony on Merlot Yacht and boy were my expectations met! With every worry or concern that I had, Linda, the cruise director had it covered and made me, of all people, feel at ease. Linda and her staff were very patient with my questions and concerns. It was a beautiful night. My friends can't stop talking about it! It beats renting a boring dance hall for a wedding or reception. You are giving your guest romantic views of the bay, great food and a unique experience. read more

We celebrated my husband's 70th Birthday on board the Cabernet Sauvignon on Friday, July 3, 2015 and cruised the San Francisco Bay from 6PM to 11PM. This review is based on a couple of factors: 1) our level of satisfaction as the party hosts and 2) our guests feedback. There were ~ 140 of us on that yacht, one toddler, 13 kids and the rest were adults (including 4 Octogenarians). All the feedback we got were very positive and we received so many thank you notes. Below are a few examples: - Thank you, it was a real awesome rare experience. Photos captured everyone having a great time! - Great Party, Awesome View, Excellent Single Malt, Perfect Company and captured by a professional photographer...what a memory... - The party was a success! Thanks for including us in this key milestone - How can I start my thank you note, because I truly don't know how to express our gratitude for the lovely evening. It was simply an evening of joy, happiness, being together, and enjoying the night with great and old friends, and meeting new ones. - Thank you both for a wonderful time Friday night. I will never forget it. - Thank you very much for making us part of the grandiose event in celebration of Miles' 70th birthday. It was really a lifetime experience for us. To sum it all up, it was a night to remember and we didn't want the party to end! Everything went per the plan from the time we boarded at Pier 40, the Welcome & Champagne Toast on the 4th deck, the Dinner & Program on the 2nd deck & the Dancing on the 3rd deck. We signed the contract with Commodore Cruises since October 2014. Thanks to our Event Planner Linda Wright and the Event Sales Coordinator Hannah Miller. Most of my email correspondence was with Hannah who was very prompt in responding to my clarification questions. It was a team effort. Linda, Hannah and I made sure that all the T's were crossed and the I's were dotted. I also wanted to thank our Cruise Director Walter, Captain Morgan and the Commodore Cruise's Staff for making the event a very memorable one! Many thanks also to the Florist Susan Bell, Cake by Marla, Balloon Mania, Eggsposure Photography, DJ Jeno and Santos Films Video Production Service. OH WHAT A NIGHT and WHAT A PARTY IT WAS ON BOARD CABBY! read more

Commodore Cruises & Events - Boat Charters Near Me - Alameda, California

See all

HAD A GREAT WEDDING! Linda and the entire staff were wonderful and very flexible! Everyone attending said BEST WEDDING EVER! Boat, Captain, Crew, Staff, FOOD TERRIFIC! So nice to let them handle everything! C + C read more

We held a beautiful wedding with about 150 guests on the Cabernet Sauvignon. Linda was our event coordinator, and she really helped us plan the perfect event, with helpful suggestions along the way (wedding runner - a must!) while being mindful of our budget. We also hired their recommended florist, Susan, and DJ, Rogers. All the staff members were very professional and polite throughout the planning process and most importantly, on the day of our wedding. The company was also mindful of our cultural preferences including decorations and special ceremonies on the ship. I highly recommend this company! (And parking is free and easy too!) read more

Commodore Cruises & Events - Boat Charters Near Me - Alameda, California

Went out on this dinner cruise last night with a work group. I just happened to have had dinner the night before at the Met in Seattle, so I was really expecting great views and rubber chicken, not much more. Dinner turned out superb! Lobster tail and a filet. The lobster was cooked perfectly (not rubbery) and the filet was thick and well seasoned on the outside, and tender and cooked exactly like I ordered on the inside. I would put that plate up against anything I've had in signature steakhouse this year. Oh, and the cruise was nice too! Don't hesitate to book this crew! read more

My husband and I had our fabulous wedding on 8/20/2016 aboard the Merlot! I do not even know where to begin, but I will begin by saying that Hannah Miller, the event coordinator we were blessed with being assigned to was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!! She made what could have been an extremely stressful event into literally a stress free wonderful day for my husband and I.!!! From the first telephone conversation, her professionalism was evident and I knew we had made the right choice. She helped us every step of the way. Planning, coordinating, day of tasks.... flawless! The crew was very polite and helpful! The food was excellent! The cake was beautifully decorated just like we wanted! The bar selections were great! The DJ, DJ Dan, was so professional and accommodating to all our music requests! Captain Morgan, officiated our under way ceremony ( man the views were gorgeous !!!). All in all, Hannah and Commodore Cruises gave us a spectacular event!!! I would hands down recommend Commodore Cruises & Events to anyone looking for a fabulous unique venue with extreme professionalism...... Now......looking of a reason to have another event by them! :0) read more